Basket



JOHN J'. DEMUTH, OF MGINTIRE, IOWA.

BASKET REINFononivrnn'r.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented May 2*?, 1919.

Application filed. October 19, 1918. Serial No. 258,812.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN J. DEMUTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of McIntire, in the county of Mitchell and IState of Iowa, have invented a certain new and Improved Basket Reinforcement, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to reinforcing means for willow or liber basket and has for its objects a simple, strong and efficient combination of elements capable of easy adjustment and adaptation to any size of basket.

One of the mainobjects of my invention is to produce a device that shall prevent the bottom of the basket from falling out.

With these objects in view my device comprises an adjustable bottom reinforcing frame adapted to fit snugly within the bottom rim of a basket, the said frame being held in position by braces extending upwardly alongside of the basket walls and secured to the top rim of the basket. This device, however, is in no sense a frame for the basket.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my device operatively attached to the ordinary form of wash basket;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view partially in section of the adjustable fastening device or lock; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmental view partially in section showing one of the side braces in position and the simple method of securing the same to the top rim of the basket.

In the drawings I have shown the simplest or rather the most common form of wicker clothes basket A which is usually constructed with flaring side walls o and a somewhat Hat bottom o. The upper rim Z is usually finished or bound and the lower rim e usually projects a slight distance below the bottom e.

Within the recess formed by the juncture of the bottom c and the lower rim e I insert a frame composed preferably of a strand of wire 1 which is adapted to be adjustably fitted within the above-mentioned recess by means of an adjustable fastener or lock 2. This adjustable lock 2 is preferably constructed in form of a block provided with a perforation 4. The wire 1 passes through the perforation 4 and the other end of the Copies of this patent -may be obtained for ve wire is passed through the said perforation 4 and when the wire is itted or adjusted to the bottom of the basket it is secured in place by means of a set screw 6 which penetrates the wall of the locking block 2 and bihds or wedges the wire in adjusted position. To brace the bottom c of the basket wire lateral cross pieces 7 and 8 are used. These cross pieces are rigidly secured to opposite sides of the wire ring or frame 1 and are preferably constructed of wire of the same size as such wire frame. These cross braces are further braced by means of a chain 9 connecting such braces at about their center extending longitudinally of the frame. This chain affords a certain flexibility of the cross braces and offers additional support to the center of the bottom of the basket where the greatest strain usually occurs.

The wire ring or frame 1 is held in place by means of vertical braces 10 which are slidably secured thereto. The upper rim of these braces are turned over the upper rim d of the basket and are provided with coacting bolt holes 11, 12, one of which may be provided with a tread. A bolt 13 is then passed through the bolt holes between thev mesh of the basket to hold the brace rigidly in connection with the top rim of the basket and the side walls thereof.

The main advantage of my invention is that the reinforcing means prevents the bottom of the basket where the greatest strain occurs, from falling out or from sagging and practically maintains the relation of the sides and bottom of the basket. The device is in no sense a basket frame, but is merely a device for reinforcing an existing form of basket.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an article of the class described, an adjustable bottom frame consisting of a frame adapted to adjustably fit kwithin the lower rim of a basket, lateral cross braces rigidly secured thereto and a longitudinal flexible brace secured to the lateral cross braces, and means slidably attached to the said frame and rigidly attached to the walls of the basket for holding the frame in position.

JOHN J. DEMUTH.

cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

